John Otway fan history #2, with guest blogger Grant McDonagh of Zulu Records!

Hi, this is still Allan. By way of introducing this, let me explain that I never realized, when I informed Grant McDonagh of Zulu Records that John Otway was performing at an open mic in North Vancouver, that he had seen Otway in 1979 when Otway opened for Pere Ubu in Robson Square. (Fans of Ubu's should note that that show -- Ubu's set, not Otway's! -- is actually available on bandcamp, as an "official bootleg," described by a fan as "one of the darkest and stankest Ubu live offerings left"). 

In fact, I figured if Grant knew Otway at all, it would be from McDonagh's time in England, which we'd talked a bit about when I interviewed him about an infamous Clash soccer game. But my own concern was quite other: did he have any Otway records I could buy? I had previously owned I Did It Otway, but the copy I had skipped badly on a couple of tracks; I think I might have given it to Al Mader, or someone, resolving to re-acquire it. Suddenly I wanted to find something Otway could sign. 

McDonagh, that day, did not have any Otway records for me. But he did have a story: call it "Otway Live, Vancouver 1979," by Grant McDonagh.

Here's Grant!

Image: Grant in his natural environment, serving Jack Rabid of Big Takeover magazine

I'm not sure much what I can add regarding John Otway's 1979 concert in Vancouver, other than that he was very energetic on stage, and it was a really nice surprise, seeing he ran up and down the aisles with enthusiasm, plus guitar in hand... singing away!

It was quite a contrast to the sit-down small theatre setting that held it, the Robson Square theatre (located in that underground area of offices, near what was to be the Robson ice rink). That theatre, btw, was used for Robert Fripp on his solo Exposure tour, just a bit after that in 1979 (I wasn't there for it, but heard good things about that concert).

So John Otway's music was generally new to me for the most part, though I had heard some of his songs briefly here and there (as I had a few Vancouver friends who were originally from England).

But the gig was very entertaining, and Pere Ubu were a totally different kind of treat to hear that night too (what a great band!).

(Btw, Here's a piece of local trivia: The Robson Square theatre was the same venue also where, approximately a year later, Perryscope concerts were just about to put tickets on sale for Joy Division. Vancouver was one of the few cities Joy Division were going to perform in for their North American debut dates. They didn't even have any records releases in Canada at the time. But sadly we know what happened there, just before that tour was to start.

As far as the Robson Square Theatre goes, I never heard of any other gigs there. Maybe there were, but I don't recall others. Now it's just office and part of a schooling complex. 

See you on Saturday!

Tickets here!